Nanny Plums Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children feel welcomed, secure and happy in this nursery. They eagerly greet their key person with a cuddle and share stories about what they have been doing over the weekend. Children who are new to the setting are skilfully supported by staff.

They enjoy quiet story time and individual attention while they adjust to their new environment. This helps children to feel confident, so when they do join their friends they do so excitedly and without hesitation. Children are delighted to spend time outdoors at this nursery.

They giggle and invite their friends to join them as they explore the available resources. Children b...egin to take small, calculated risks. They carefully balance wooden beams from the path to a tree stump.

Children work hard to keep their balance while they cross the 'bridge' and feel very proud when they are successful. Younger children dig in the sandpit and point out the different-coloured sand toys they can see. Older children dress up as police officers and use their 'telescopes' to 'spot the bad guys'.

Staff naturally support children to enhance these activities even further. They role model descriptive language, extend storylines and encourage children to solve simple problems.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff encourage children to be independent.

They show children how to wash their hands thoroughly, when appropriate, and support them to use a 'snuffle station'. Children enjoy this self-care responsibility as they carefully look in a mirror and wipe their own noses. This helps children to begin to understand some links between good hygiene and good health.

However, during a sensory activity, staff allow children to repeatedly taste jelly from unclean utensils. Children enjoy this taste experience, but as they all explore in the same container, this becomes unhygienic.Staff support children's communication and language development generally well.

For older children, staff extend sentences and introduce descriptive language from well-known stories. For younger children, staff help to build their vocabulary by repeating key words and sounds. However, some activities within the baby room are not successfully organised to meet the varying needs of children.

For instance, older babies dance along to songs, following actions and thoroughly enjoying themselves. However, younger babies feel overwhelmed by the speed and complexity of the songs, which are too advanced for them.Parents commend this nursery.

They describe the staff as 'friendly' and 'professional'. Parents appreciate the support given by the provider, the manager and the staff team. They particularly value the 'excellent range of activities' on offer for their children and feel the nursery is 'the very best'.

The provider and the manager rigorously monitor staff performance. They observe and evaluate staff regularly, highlighting any strengths and areas for development. They are passionate about supporting staff to access additional training and career-enhancing opportunities.

This helps to ensure that staff and the quality of education they provide are continually improving. The provider works hard to support staff's well-being. She encourages staff to access calming activities during their lunch break, such as yoga and meditation.

She is aware of the workload placed on staff and ensures this is kept at an acceptable level.Children behave very well. They are polite and kind.

For example, when small disagreements occur over resources, children quickly compromise with one another. They consider the situation and impressively decide 'we can share'.Children try honey for the first time and marvel at where it comes from.

They describe the taste as 'like blueberries' and laugh when they realise 'honey and runny, it rhymes'. Children are in awe as they relate the bees in their storybooks to the bees who create honey in real life. Younger children show impressive focus as they dig, scoop and melt ice to free trapped figurines.

They are fascinated as staff add bubbles and colours to the water and watch transfixed as the ice melts over time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff confidently recognise the signs and symptoms which may indicate a child is being abused or neglected.

They understand the steps to take should they have concerns for the welfare of a child. Staff also know the procedures to follow should they have an allegation against another member of staff. The provider, as designated safeguarding lead, has robust safeguarding knowledge.

She keeps abreast of wider safeguarding concerns, such as female genital mutilation and the 'Prevent' duty. This helps to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's implementation of hygiene procedures, in particular during group activities norganise group activities effectively within the baby room to support children's varying levels of communication and language development.